Hibs fans turned out in their numbers to pay tribute to former club owner Sir Tom Farmer as his coffin passed Easter Road Stadium this afternoon following a private family funeral.
The Edinburgh businessman died peacefully at his home earlier this month at the age of 84.
Sir Tom built Kwik Fit into the world’s biggest independent tyre and automotive chain before selling it to Ford in 1999.
His philanthropic work saw him awarded the Carnegie Medal and he became a Knight Commander with Star of the Order of St. Gregory the Great, an honour bestowed by the Pope, in 1997.
He was knighted in 1997 for his services to the automotive industry and was made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in 2009 for his charitable work.
Sir Tom saved Hibs from a hostile takeover in 1990 and owned a majority stake in the club for 28-years before selling to Ron Gordon.
Responsible for the transformation of the stadium from a crumbling old football ground into the magnificent arena of today, he also saw two League Cup wins in 1991 and 2007 and the Scottish cup triumph in 2016.
Roy Campbell, a Hibs fans of 60-plus years said: “He was a great man who saved this club.”
Another fan said: “I can bring my grandson here now thanks to him. Because otherwise Hibs were finished. They were in receivership. They’d had a hostile bid before that and Tom Farmer stepped in and saved them which is great.
“Plus he was a good man. He was staunch in the Roman Catholic church and did a lot there.
Another added: “He supported lots of charities, Quite a ot of people l know tell me he did this and that but he never wanted publicity. It was all done for the good of the community.
“I think he was a very very community minded fellow and anybody from Leith loved the guy.
“A Leither made good is better than anything else. He was a great guy who will be sorely missed.”
Another added: “He’s been in my taxi a few times and I also saw him at St Mary’s Star of the Sea, down in Leith, the chapel there in years gone by. He was a great man, a great person.”
